DIBRUGARH, Feb 28 - The recent thunderstorm which lashed the region claimed one life and injured several within the district while causing destruction to numerous houses, cowsheds, granaries and also uprooted trees, thereby disrupting power and temporarily blocking roads.
One Bimal Gupta (60) of Naharkatia died after he was crushed when a tree fell on his house. Several persons reportedly sustained minor injuries in the storm as the strong wind accompanied by rain blew away their roofs and demolished their homes, besides destroying other property. One Nabajyoti Handique, a Matric student in Tingkhong�s Dhaman village sustained injuries and is presently undergoing medical treatment.
In Andrew Yule-owned Basmatia Tea Estate, the management informed that the roof of the store building and lathe workshop of the tea estate was blown away, resulting in artificial flooding inside the building. The storm also destroyed the security lights installed within the factory campus. Extensive damage was caused to the workers� quarters and shade trees in the plantation, where as many as 60 trees were uprooted, the management added.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) project officer of the district Dipjyoti Hatikakoty said that about 200 villages were affected within the district as per preliminary reports. �The thunderstorm hit 12 villages in Dibrugarh East Revenue Circle, 7 villages in Chabua, 22 villages in Dibrugarh West, 35 villages in Naharkatia, 23 villages in Tingkhong, 40 villages in Tengakhat and 43 villages in Moran revenue circle. The number of affected villages will go up as Lat Mandals are still assessing the amount of storm-induced destruction,� he said.
